Contest games have often been used in the retail sales area, and in a variety of ways. Games are used, for example, in the fast food industry as an inducement to prospective customers to patronize a particular establishment or chain of establishments. In such a use, the prizes awarded are generally the products purveyed by the particular establishment, as well as, or in addition to, cash, trips, or other merchandise.
Similarly, games of skill have frequently been used in the promotion of consumer products, either to increase the sales of a particular brand because of the inducement provided by the prizes available through successful completion of the game, or as a means to introduce a new product in, essentially, the same way.
For example, in U. S. Pat. No. 4,466,614, Bachman et al, a game is described with a playing surface having first indicia defining a plurality of game symbols and second indicia on the playing surface defining a plurality of game categories, the second indicia being arranged so that the symbols are in spaced relationship with the categories. Third indicia are provided on the surface to define a plurality of playing areas, and each area is in spaced register with one of the symbols and one of the categories. A desired combination of selected symbols is associated with each category and, in an apparently preferred embodiment, all of the symbols are used.
In order to attract the attention of the consuming public, new forms of games must constantly be developed.